In recent times, young Canadians have become both subject and object of electoral promotion strategies. These strategies, effected by both state and extra-state organizations, respond to social concerns about the failure of younger cohorts to engage with the political system through the formal channels provided– particularly, voting in elections. These concerns, taken with the increasing popularity of information communications technologies, have propelled some organizations to reach out online, with the goal of increasing voter turnout rates. The main focus in this research is the range of approaches taken by different groups in response to the perceived problems related to young people and their disengagement from electoral processes. Using a multi-method research design, this study examines the relationships between young peoples‘ interests in, and understandings of, Canadian politics, and the online electoral promotion strategies attempting to address them. By triangulating Critical Discourse Analysis with focused group interviews with youth and interviews with communications representatives of several non-partisan organizations, I analyze the extended communicative encounter between state, extra-state organization, and citizen, as framed by the issue of 'youth and electoral disengagement'. My research problem is to explore the communicative cycle of electoral promotional discourses, their production, dissemination and consumption. I ask how these various understandings relate to each other, and what this might mean for the democratic public sphere. By focusing on the way the dominant outreach strategies 'speak to' and engage with youth, I unravel a paradox whereby the framework of communication in some of these materials, meant to help people who are alienated from the political process, in fact functions to reiterate the exclusionary tendencies of democratic politics that necessitate the engagement strategies in the first place.

Denna studie undersöker hur förändrade livsstilar påverkar ungdomars engagemang i meningsfulla aktiviteter samt de sociala utmaningar som uppstår när unga blir inaktiva. Genom att intervjua aktörer som arbetar med barn och för barn, utforskar vi sambandet mellan inaktivering och negativa sociala fenomen. Studien identifierar hinder som bidrar till inaktivering, såsom socioekonomiska faktorer, kostnader för deltagande i idrott och komplexa familjedynamiker. Erik Eriksons psykosociala utvecklingsteori och Travis Hirschis teori om sociala band är de teoretiska ramverk som används för att betona vikten av att skapa en miljö där barn känner sig trygga och välkomna samt för att stärka sociala band och motverka ungdomars inaktivering.Vi genomförde åtta individuellt strukturerade intervjuer samt tre fokusgruppsintervjuer med aktörer som är involverade i barns liv. Resultaten tyder på att bristen på meningsfulla aktiviteter och bristande föräldrakontroll är kopplad till ungdomars inaktivitet. Respondenterna understryker vikten av att skapa välkomnande miljöer där ungdomar ges möjlighet att utforska sina intressen som en potentiell åtgärd för att minska risken för att de hamnar i negativa sociala fenomen. / This study examines how changing lifestyles affect youths' engagement in meaningful activities and the social challenges that arise when young individuals become inactive. By interviewing stakeholders working with and for children, we explore the relationship between disengagement and negative social phenomena. The study identifies barriers contributing to disengagement, such as socioeconomic factors, costs associated with sports participation, and complex family dynamics. Erik Erikson's psychosocial development theory and Travis Hirschi's theory of social bonds serve as the theoretical frameworks used to emphasize the importance of creating an environment where children feel safe and welcomed, and to strengthen social bonds to counteract youth disengagement.We conducted eight individually structured interviews and three focus group interviews with actors involved in children's lives. The results suggest that the lack of meaningful activities and inadequate parental control are linked to youth inactivity. Respondents emphasize the importance of creating welcoming environments where young people are given the opportunity to explore their interests as a potential measure to reduce the risk of involvement in negative social phenomena.